


Nightmare at 20,000 feet

by jlvsclrk



Category: Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-04-06
Updated: 2009-04-05
Packaged: 2017-12-31 08:44:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1029669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jlvsclrk/pseuds/jlvsclrk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lex has nightmares about being attacked by a monster only he can see.<br/>Written for the <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/enter_tzone/">Twisting the Twilight Zone</a> challenge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

[](http://pics.livejournal.com/jlvsclrk/pic/0001bt1e/)****  
Title: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet  
 **Author** : jlvsclrk  
 **Pairing** : Clark/Lex  
 **Rating** : PG13  
 **Warnings** : None  
 **Spoilers** : S4 – Goes AU during Scare  
 **Word Count** : 17,500  
 **Summary** : Lex has nightmares about being attacked by a monster only he can see.  
Written for the [Twisting the Twilight Zone](http://community.livejournal.com/enter_tzone/) challenge.

Thanks to [](http://twinsarein.livejournal.com/profile)[**twinsarein**](http://twinsarein.livejournal.com/)  for the beta and [](http://danceswithgary.livejournal.com/profile)[**danceswithgary**](http://danceswithgary.livejournal.com/) for the lovely cover!

Chapter 1  
   
 _In the darkness, faces flicker through his mind – father, mother, former friends, business associates, employees, lovers. They stare at him accusingly, then turn away._

White lights strobe through the darkness, making him squint. A doctor approaches with a needle and frowns down at him. “Lex, you shouldn’t take chances like this. What’s worth risking your life for?”

Her voice echoes strangely in an oddly shaped room. He looks down and sees he’s lying on a makeshift examining table. A heart monitor beeps erratically in the corner. The doctor holds the needle up to the light and squeezes out the proper dose. The needle pierces his skin, a second’s pain, then blessed numbness. He feels himself floating above the table, rising through the ceiling of the room. No, it’s the cabin of his plane, speeding above sunlit clouds. It’s beautiful here but he knows he cannot rest. He struggles to re-enter the plane, knowing there’s something important there. Something he must protect.

He reaches down, down. There it is, the statue he’d spent all too much time trying to find. He reaches for it with unsteady hands: a treasure of unknown value. The symbols on it remind him of a metallic disc, lost in a tempest. Drawings in a cave and a scientist’s crazed warnings. A farmboy’s cryptic family tree. A knife and his father offered for sacrifice. The images blur in his mind.

The statue falls and shatters, like so many of his dreams. In the shards glistens something metallic, another mystery. He reaches for it and the room fills with light. He is dazzled.

The plane shakes. He hears a bang, then a rush of air as the cabin loses pressure. The plane takes a sickening dive. He shrugs off the terrified doctor and reaches for the metallic object. But propelled by invisible forces, it moves away from him. He persists and feels an implacable force tighten around his neck. He struggles forward to see what’s happening. Through a hole in the bulkhead, he perceives a shape, strangely familiar but not. Red eyes flash in warning.

“It is not meant for you.” The voice is cold, dispassionate, condemning.

“You’re not even human,” he whispers with dread.

He turns back to the doctor. “We have to stop it,” he tells her. “I’m the only one who knows how.”

“Stop what, Lex? There’s nothing there.”

He turns back and the figure is gone, along with the metallic object. “It was standing right there. Didn’t you see it?”

“You’re hallucinating, Lex. Let me give you something to help you.” The doctor’s voice is meant to be reassuring, but has the opposite effect.

He feels the sting of another needle and screams, “I have to stop it!” He struggles to get free and feels hands pinning him down. A straightjacket tightens around his arms and torso. He struggles to stay awake. He screams again and again, unheeded in the empty room.

“I have to stop it!”

***

Lex awoke with a gasp to find himself pinned to his bed, sheets tangled about him from yet another restless night. He breathed deeply to control his racing heart and inhaled an elusive scent, like sunlight in the meadow. He opened his eyes to see worried green eyes staring down on him. “What the… What’s going on, Clark?”

“I heard you shouting and was worried you’d hurt yourself. Again” Clark flushed slightly as he released Lex. He scooted to the far wall of the bedroom, his movements a fascinating mixture of athletic grace and diffident shyness.

Lex nodded slightly as he surveyed Clark and the room: both were looking somewhat more disheveled than usual. Clark was dressed in only a tight blue T-shirt and some jogging pants: a good look on him. Judging from the hair though, it looked like Clark had just woken and Lex glanced at his clock - 3:27. “And what exactly were you doing here at this time of night?”

Clark flushed again and looked away. “I’ve been worried about you ever since the accident at the plant. Chloe talked to the doctors and they told her the vaccine really only stabilized the patient. It did nothing to stop the nightmare itself. And they were worried about its impact if used on someone previously uninfected. Which means you might still be in danger.”

“So you decided to sleep outside my window just in case?” Lex looked again at Clark’s clothing. It was the middle of winter and Clark wasn’t even wearing socks. Another mystery he wasn’t supposed to notice.

The flush grew slightly as Clark raised his eyes. “I just thought you might need some help. It’s not fair that everyone else is able to move on and you still have to suffer.”

Lex gave a tight lipped smile. “Clark, I’m the one responsible for the toxin’s release. Yes, the project’s engineers said we’d taken all the necessary precautions, but they were wrong. I should have put the project on hold to commit a safety review when I took command of LuthorCorp. But there were so many projects to check into. I made a mistake.”

“We all make mistakes, Lex, but you acted as quickly as possible to fix this one. That was so amazing!” Clark ducked his head away before looking up at Lex through thick eyelashes. Lex wondered if Clark knew how that look made him feel. He felt a more genuine smile grow as he relaxed. Then Clark continued, “I know it’s a lot to ask but maybe it would help if you talked about it.”

Lex’s smile vanished and he replied harshly, “Do you want to talk about your nightmare, Clark? Do you think that would help? Or is it another one of your precious secrets?” Feeling somehow betrayed, he rose from the bed and strode to his closet. Since he obviously wasn’t getting back to sleep, he might as well start his day early.

Clark was silent behind him as he sorted through the clothes then moved towards the bathroom. “Look Clark, there’s no need to stay. I’m fine. I’ve just got a lot of things on my mind. Taking control of LuthorCorp is harder work then I’d ever imagined. Lionel had started so many top secret projects and I still don’t know if I’ve found them all. And the senior management team sometimes resembles a pack of rabid dogs vying for dominance. I need all my energy to keep them from trying to make me their next meal.”

Clark’s silence continued but he showed no signs of leaving. He had picked up a pillow that Lex had earlier kicked off the bed and was absently squeezing it, lost in thought.

“Clark, you should go home and get some more sleep. I’m just going…”

“I dreamed that Lana stabbed me because she blamed me for her parents’ death. But the worst part was when I woke up and there was no one there. ‘Cause I knew that meant my parents were infected too and might be dead. My worst fear is that that one day I’ll wake up and everybody will be gone.”

Lex felt dizzy, like a punch had knocked the wind out of him. Hearing the truth from Clark was something he no longer expected, in fact quite the opposite. But for once, Clark was letting him glimpse at the real person who hid behind the farm boy façade. Lex carefully laid down the clothes he was carrying and sat down on the bed. He stared wide eyed at Clark, who refused to look back. The silence stretched.

“I… I don’t know what to say Clark. Losing a parent is something we all have to face. But that doesn’t make it any easier to bear. Look, sit down so I don’t have to stare up at you.” He patted the bed beside him and Clark awkwardly perched at the edge, looking set to flee.

“I wish my nightmare was as easy to explain. There’s something I desperately need to remember but I can’t. And there’s this monster who’s trying to destroy me and I need to stop him but no one believes me. So they lock me up in a straight jacket and walk away.”

Clark gasped and turned to him, concern and fear darkening his eyes. “Lex, I promise I won’t let that happen again. I’m so sorry for what happened before.”

Lex snorted. “This isn’t about you Clark. I know you did what you could at Belle Reve, and your testimony was crucial to my father’s conviction. But when someone truly powerful has targeted you for a fall, well, a seventeen year-old farm boy isn’t going to be enough to stop them.”

“I’m not just a farm boy, Lex. You know that.”

Lex nodded. “But there’s so much more to this than even I know. My father has connections with some of the most influential men in the world. They were up to something, something that involves Lana too. I stumbled across a clue in Egypt, but it was stolen from me. At 20,000 feet in the air, mind you.”

Clark curled forward, wrapping his hands around his stomach and scrunching his neck, hedgehog position. “I’m so sorry.”

“All I know is that feeling sorry for myself won’t solve anything. Whatever Dad was up to, there’s something out there more powerful than I can imagine. And I need to figure out how to stop it.” He stood up from the bed and picked up his clothes again. “Clark, I think you should leave now. I have work to do.”

“Lex, I…” Clark’s voice trailed off uncertainly. Clark bit his lip, then looked up again into Lex’s eyes. He took a deep breath and stood tall by Lex’s side, all hesitation banished. “Lex, there’s something I need to show you.”

***

Lex switched off the Porsche’s ignition and sat in numb silence as he tried to process Clark’s almost whispered revelations on the drive over. Speed. Strength. Invulnerability. _Alien_. Virgil Swann. Jor-El. Morgan Edge. Belle Reve. _Kal-El._ It was almost too much. No wonder Clark always looked so nervous when he was pushed about his secrets.

But perhaps the revelation that frightened Lex the most was regarding the source of LuthorCorp’s most prized asset: a vial of alien blood. Carefully hoarded, the blood cells were the foundation of at least seventeen promising research projects. Billions in profits stood to be made, delayed only by the scarcity of the supply. Did Clark know? Did he understand the risk he’d taken last week by offering himself up for research?

Clark interrupted his musings, “I’m not sure how safe it’ll be for you in there. It usually ignores visitors, but last year, it did put dad in a coma. If it tries anything, I’ll do what I can to get us out. But I can’t make any promises, Lex.”

Lex nodded as he stepped out of the car and helped Clark gather the items he’d picked up at the loft on the way over. “I understand the risk, Clark. But so much of what you’ve said just doesn’t make sense. Why would your real father have sent you here to be raised by the Kents if it wanted you to rule the world? If that was his goal, Lionel, for one, would’ve been a much better choice.”

Clark shuddered, “I’ll bet. And why force me to leave Smallville, only to help dad bring me back? And I don’t understand why it sent me after that stone you found.”

Lex nodded again. Learning Clark was behind the attack on his plane had proved to be one of the least of the morning’s surprises. He needed to put all of those disturbing and tantalizing discoveries aside for now, though, to focus on the task at hand. He switched on the flashlight and descended with Clark into the cave.

Clark pointed to one of the symbols on the wall, resembling a stylized ‘LL’. “That’s the symbol for water, or transformation. The same symbol was on the stone your father used in prison to switch bodies with me. And Lana’s got a tattoo of it on her back, which I guess has something to do with the witches that attacked us. She asked me if I knew what the symbol meant. But I really don’t, Lex.”

“Arthur Clarke once said that any sufficiently advanced technology would look like magic: I guess he was right.”

“When I fought Lana, her magic was real - and scary. I’ve often wondered if Kryptonians stopped coming to earth because they feared something so unpredictable. I think they were seriously into logic and science, and kind of looked down on emotions.”

“We’ll see if we can get some answers for both of us. I don’t like the idea of something that can control you and turn you into some sort of Kryptonian crusader. Not to mention kidnapping a girl and turning her into a super powered murderer.”

Lex stopped in front of the wall that bore an octagonal shaped indentation. He brushed his hand over it reverently and turned to Clark. “I’ve always wondered if you stole the disc from me back then. Strange to think it was Nixon. I’m sorry about that Clark. I tried to call him off but he sensed a story and that meant more to him than his own safety.”

“It’s all in the past now Lex. Nixon is dead, the disc is gone. I’d say good riddance except I’m scared of where it may have wound up this time. Who knows what would’ve happened if Lionel had seen this wall while he still had it”

Clark then touched three of the symbols on the wall, which glowed blue, red and yellow. There was a faint cracking sound and a door opened into the cave’s hidden chamber. Lex took a deep breath and ventured inside. There, on a stone dais, rested the metallic object he’d discovered in Egypt. Clearly it belonged here, but why? If they found the other two objects, what would happen next? Too many mysteries. Time for some answers.

“How do you start the interface program?”

Clark shuffled in embarrassment and admitted, “Well, sometimes it calls me here and sometimes I use the key. Honestly though, I usually just start yelling until it answers.”

“Why am I not surprised? Let’s see if that works for me.” Lex tried circling around the chamber while shouting at the walls. It felt strange and was clearly pointless. He turned back to Clark. “Maybe it’s programmed to ignore intruders. Why don’t you try?”

“If you’re sure, Lex.” At Lex’s nod, Clark took a deep breath and bellowed, “Jor-El! We need to ask you some questions! Jor-El! Speak to me!”

“I am disappointed in you, Kal-El,” responded a cultured but forbidding voice. It seemed very loud in the small chamber: Lex now understood why Clark felt compelled to shout back at it. “The secrets of our civilization are not meant to be shared with humans. They are a flawed race, and their greed for knowledge will drive them to destruction and ruin. The man beside you, Lex Luthor, is especially dangerous and must be stopped. If you will not do it, I shall.”

A blinding light reached out for Lex and raised him from the floor. As his senses started to shut down, Lex watched Clark spring forward and try to pull him away, to no avail. He felt an overwhelming flood of knowledge cascade through his mind; too much to assimilate. This was how the machine had sent Dr. Walden into a coma and rewritten his personality, ultimately leading to his death. Lex fought to control the interface by focusing on the key question, “What is your purpose?”

Strange symbols blurred through his mind’s eye in response, reminding Lex somehow of Japanese writing with its combination of alphabets. “I don’t have time to learn your language now. Can you respond in English?”

The symbols shifted to a bewildering mixture of characters, some Kryptonian and others in various Earth alphabets. Lex felt his mind retreating from the onslaught, but forced himself to concentrate. He realized that part of the interface was trying to distract him with tidbits of knowledge that he’d normally drop everything to investigate. A scientific paradise beckoned, but he knew it was just a mirage. Earth was thousands of years from understanding the crystal technology that was the foundation of Kryptonian science. Without that understanding, it would be like finding a computer in the Stone Age: even if you got it to work, you wouldn’t know what to do with it.

Lex found himself chanting, “Focus. Focus on breathing. Focus on the one question: what is your purpose?” Time passed, and he felt his childhood memories receding, replaced by images of a strange world. A tidal wave of Kryptonian history threatened to obliterate his knowledge of Greece and Rome. He fought to retain his sense of self, but grew weary. The interface was relentless: there was too much here for him to process. He almost laughed at the irony: Lex Luthor dying by data overload.

Then suddenly, the flood stopped.

Lex felt his senses reawaken as he dropped to the floor of the cave. The first thing he noticed was a sickly green light emanating from a meteor rock held in Clark’s hand. Clark laid unconscious, blood seeping from several gashes in his arms. “Oh Clark, what have you done?”

“Kal-El pleaded with me to release you. When I advised him that I was acting in his best interest, he exposed himself to a fragment of our home planet – what you commonly refer to as meteor rock and Kal-El calls kryptonite. The most common variety is poisonous to our kind in a yellow sun environment. You must return the kryptonite to the lead box Kal-El used to transport it here or he will die.”

Lex silently cursed Clark for not discussing his emergency plan with him. He picked up the kryptonite fragment then looked down at Clark. He looked ghastly, veins distended, his normally golden body turned to green. Lex leaned down and placed the rock in Clark’s pocket, then grabbed him by the shoulders. “Sorry, Clark. Not much longer. But I don’t think it’s safe yet.”

Hauling Clark out of the caves would have been taxing in even the best of circumstances. Muscle is heavier than fat, and Clark had packed a lot of muscle onto his frame in the past few years. Lex also found himself wondering if Kryptonian bones were denser than human ones: Clark certainly felt heavier than expected. Or maybe it was just exhaustion from too many sleepless nights and his battle with the AI. He could only move them a few feet at a time and was acutely aware of Clark’s increasingly laboured breathing. Finally they reached the cave’s exit to be greeted by the morning sun. Lex looked down at his watch: 7:54. Amazingly, only four and a half hours had passed since his life had changed beyond all measure.

Lex placed the kryptonite fragment in the lead box, then sank gratefully to the ground beside Clark’s sprawled body. He picked up Clark’s head and gently placed it in his lap. Struck by whimsy, he leaned forward to give Clark a tender kiss. “Wake up, sleepy.”

Slowly, oh so slowly, Clark’s body regained its normal colouring and his breathing steadied. Lex wiped away the blood on Clark’s arms, then watched as bit by bit the cuts healed. Clark’s eyelids flickered then slowly opened. The two stared at each other wordlessly. Clark gave a tentative smile and whispered, “It worked. You saved me.”

Lex tried for a stern tone as he replied, “You’re a fool, Clark. We both might have died.”

Clark’s smile brightened and he repeated, “It worked.”

Lex had never been able to resist that smile and gave up trying. He leaned forward and kissed Clark tenderly, almost chastely. His mouth moved languidly over cherry lips, mapping their texture. Clark’s face was slightly sweaty from the recent kryptonite exposure, heightening the flavour. Lex tangled one hand in dark, silky curls while the other traced the contours of Clark’s cheekbone, jaw and neck. So soft, despite the hint of stubble.

Clark’s eyes widened in surprise then flickered shut as he relaxed into Lex’s embrace. Lex let the pressures of the world fade away and breathed him in, happier in that moment than he could ever recall. The only sound was their mingled breathing. It felt so good to be here, together in the sunlight. But a quiet chirp from his watch ended the moment and reluctantly, he pulled back with a hint of a smile.

Clark gazed almost sleepily up at him. “What was that?”

“It’s called a kiss, Clark,” Lex responded teasingly before resuming more seriously. “It just felt like the right way to celebrate getting out of the cave alive. I hope I didn’t offend you. Frankly, I’ve wondered what it would be like for quite a while now. But you were so young, and … There were always too many secrets.”

Clark sat up slowly and gave Lex a hesitant smile. “And it’s different now, right? But Lex…”

Lex interrupted, “Clark, don’t. Now isn’t the time for this. I… care for you, surely you know that. I really want us to work at rebuilding our friendship and perhaps see if there’s something more there. And we really need to talk about what just happened. But it’s already eight. I have some crucial meetings that I have to leave for right away. And unless I miss my guess, you’ll need to run fast to check in with your parents and still get to school on time. We’ll talk tonight. I should be back by nine. You don’t mind waiting, do you?”

Clark grimaced and stood, still a bit shaky but recovering fast. “I mind but I understand. Stuff doesn’t stop happening just because we need to deal with crazy alien machinery.” He gave a small snort. “You know Lex; my parents are going to freak. They’ll never understand this. Not in a million years.”

“Consider yourself lucky. At least they’ve never tried to kill you.”

Clark snorted again. “Well, there was this one time…”  



	2. Chapter 2

[](http://pics.livejournal.com/jlvsclrk/pic/0001bt1e/)****  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  


Lex took a deep breath and released it silently, resisting the temptation to show any sign of exhaustion. By all rights, he should be too tired to think, but his mind had never felt sharper. He’d already sat through four conferences today and this was the last, a meeting of the research oversight committee. He’d arranged his schedule that way on purpose, since managing LuthorCorp’s scientific projects was his favorite part of the job. Much more interesting than the necessary but boring hours spent fine tuning budgets and corporate policies, placating the SEC and soothing the financial press. Lionel’s murder conviction had damaged LuthorCorp’s corporate reputation and his own recent arrest hadn’t helped. The vultures were circling: he needed to show them LuthorCorp was far from dead.

Since he’d taken over as CEO, he’d been struggling to reshape the company to reflect his own values and vision for the future. But like most giant organizations, LuthorCorp had a high resistance to change and the corporate culture was deeply ingrained. In retrospect, he realized that in the last months he himself had been the one making most of the changes, coming to accept power as his due and expedience as a way of life.  That had to change, but to do so he needed allies. He looked around the conference room.

“Fundamental research can’t be expected to deliver results according to an arbitrary time line!” That was Dr Boris Brizeli of Project Draco speaking, impassioned as always. Boris was one of LuthorCorp’s brightest minds. His own work tended to be at the fringes of theoretical science, abstruse even by Lex’s standards, but he had a real genius for spotting errors and opportunities in other people’s work. “We’re exploring what we don’t know and, practically by definition, we’ll make false starts, reach the wrong conclusions, then have to go back and start again. But all the major developments of the twentieth century started that way! Look at DNA, the silicon chip, …”

“I’ve heard it a thousand times before, Boris. However, we’re a publicly traded company, and our shareholders have a say in the matter. They expect profits and we have to deliver or we’ll be out of business. Lionel used to understand that before his illness caused him to radically distort our research priorities.” That was Bob Teller, a new hire and firmly in Lex’s pocket. The right man for product development, but too pragmatic to see the big picture. Lex scribbled a note to reassign him.

“Gentlemen, ladies,” said Lex, seizing control of the meeting. “I think it’s important for us all to understand that Boris and Bob are equally correct, and realize the implications of this for our business. We’re walking a fine line and need to allocate our resources wisely. I called this meeting for us to discuss ways to deliver some concrete results to show the outside world. But I want to do this without interfering too much with ongoing research projects. Any ideas?”

After a brief silence, Dr Hortez of Project Hydra spoke up. “Well, cloning… We’ve made some incredible breakthroughs here at LuthorCorp in the last few months alone. I wouldn’t hesitate to say that we’re the world leaders in this technology. Probably years ahead of the rest. But given the prevailing stance on human cloning…” She shrugged. “There’s practically unlimited potential for applications like organ donation but that’s decades away. The best we could do right now is clone the whole body and then kill it when ready to harvest. But I don’t think that’s the kind of thing we want to be talking to the press about right now.”

“Good god, no. But I agree. Cloning has enormous potential and we need to pursue our advantages there. I think though we need to back off on human cloning and go back to animal testing. A lot less controversial and you’ll be able to publish.” Lex noted many pleased smiles at this: publishing was a scientist’s lifeblood.

“Pets!” exclaimed Dr Felix Abbottson, head of Project Scorpius. Lex gave him a look and gestured for him to go on. “I mean, cloning pets. I bet you there’s money in that! I was so devastated when my Blackie died last year…”

“And it’s something we could roll out almost right away. Bob, I want you to do some market research and prepare a proposal on this. I want it fast, so I think you’ll need to drop off this committee.” Bob nodded, not at all disappointed to be moved back to the world of concrete goals and deadlines.

“Okay, thank you for that idea, Felix. Now let’s talk about meteor rocks and 33.1. I don’t think anyone can deny that there’s a relationship between the two.”

The lead scientist for the Centaurus team replied, “No, although the exact nature of the link has yet to be determined. My team has been looking for what we call the meta-gene in our 33.1 test subjects. We haven’t been able to pin it down yet, but we’ve got very good reason to believe it’s there, and in a significant proportion of the human population. But it’s normally inactive. The meteor rocks act as a catalyst perhaps.”

Lex nodded. “I want a team to go back and start examining the meteor rocks again. Boris, can you send me a list of names? We’ve been using the rocks for years without really understanding why they have the effects they do. I think we’ll find they act as a powerful source for stimulated emission under the right conditions. Which could mean hundreds of applications, from power supply to medical research to weapons development.” Boris nodded, a far away look in his eyes as the wheels started turning.

Lex resumed, “But first, let’s get some data together for the EPA about their potential side effects. Something that can affect the meta-gene can cause other mutations like cancer. And once we’ve go the EPA convinced, we can secure the bid for the clean-up contract.”

More smiles at that. LuthorCorp had a lot of experience cleaning up toxic sites, and there was the potential for huge profits when it was somebody else’s fault. Not to mention they’d wind up with a near monopoly on a unique natural resource. They didn’t need to know Lex’s own reason for sponsoring the clean up.

“Susan, I’d also like to discuss your proposal about the treatment regime for the 33.1 test subjects.”

Dr Susan Hunt led Project Bootes, where she acted as a sort of herdsman for her flock of meteor freaks. She gave him a briefly puzzled look since he’d rejected her proposal when she approached him privately last week. But she gamely began, “As you know, the inhabitants of level 33.1 are all criminals. Most of them were unofficially transferred to us from prisons and asylums since the state has no way of adequately holding them. We also have a few semi-voluntary residents who came here rather than face criminal charges. We treat them will all due caution, which means they live in conditions suited to a maximum security prison. That is appropriate for some, but not all. What I propose is a system of greater liberty for those who cooperate with our testing. Allow family visits for good behaviour. Perhaps limited releases. Give them some goals to work towards. Some way to be productive members of society.”

“Some of those people are murderers!” complained Dr Chang. “We can’t just turn our back on the danger they pose. Once a meteor psychosis sets in, I haven’t seen any case where a person has fully recovered.”

Susan shrugged, “There’s a Dr McBride at Belle Reve who claims to be making significant progress. I reviewed his results with Lex, and we concluded they were probably exaggerated. But I’m not proposing we set everyone free or just take them at their word. Really, it’s more a safety valve than anything else. If we don’t start treating these people more humanely, we’re going to reinforce their psychosis and turn them against us. Then, if anyone gets free…”

Lex replied, “Exactly. Level 33.1 right now is a necessary evil, but it’s also a public relations time bomb. But it occurs to me that we can turn it into an asset by implementing the changes Dr Hunt spoke of, and then telling the world about it. It’s good PR to let people know we’re keeping them safe. We could even set up an outreach program to hidden mutants and work to ensure they don’t develop a meteor psychosis to start with. Lots of goodwill there: the press will love it. I can even see us setting up a consultation branch with law enforcement agencies. We are the experts on this topic. We don’t need to hide what we know.”

Silence greeted his comments, but he sensed he had them on his side. Secrecy had been the byword at LuthorCorp for many years, and the company had devolved into an unethical free-for all during Lionel’s last months. They’d all seen or heard things that made them squeamish at best, and most welcomed the chance to move on.

“Any objections? Good. Susan, I’d like to see more details on this by next week. Next, I’d like to discuss Project Canis. It’s a military project involving meteor enhanced dogs. We’ve received a lot of complaints…”

The meeting went on well beyond normal business hours, but no one around the table minded. By the time it was through, Lex had made changes to over 40 projects and decisively broken the company from its past. A new LuthorCorp had been created, and Lex imagined a future where it would act as a beacon for best corporate practices. But for all the talk of profit and goodwill, Lex was all too aware of his real reason for implementing the changes. Clark had had the courage to break through the lies; he wanted to return the favour.

***

It was well after 10 before Lex arrived back at the mansion. On the long drive home, he’d sent a proposal to talk to the governor about getting the route to Metropolis improved. As much as he personally enjoyed driving around the back roads at outrageous speeds, his chauffeur didn’t have the knack and invariably wound up caught in traffic. He just hoped Clark hadn’t been waiting too long.

He was worried when the staff informed him that Clark hadn’t dropped by or left any messages. He tried calling, but Clark didn’t pick up. Curioser and curioser: he’d been sure Clark wanted, no NEEDED, to talk about what had happened earlier. He hated to think that Clark was regretting his decision to open up, or worse, was afraid of what Lex would do with the knowledge. Earlier that day, he’d been too shocked by Clark’s revelations to process much beyond the bare facts. But during the drive home, he’d had a chance to reflect further and cursed himself for missing the emotional overtones hidden by Clark’s monotone delivery and lowered eyes. He realized now just how much Clark blamed himself for letting him be taken to Belle Reve, though for the life of him he didn’t see what else Clark could have done. Lionel would never have stopped looking for him and would have ruined the lives of everyone in Smallville just for spite. And Lionel had known all too much about the mysteries of Clark Kent, thanks in part to his own accursed chamber of secrets. Lex shuddered at the thought of what could have happened.

Lex paced around the library and tried calling again, to no avail. Worried, he decided to drop by The Talon and see if Martha knew anything. He hoped that would prove a safer option than going to the farm and possibly running into Jonathan. That man just plain disliked him, and it was hard not to return the feeling in kind.

Lex pulled up at The Talon just minutes before closing. Martha gave him a strained smile, then a curt “No” when he asked her if she knew where Clark was. She silently served his decaf cappuccino then moved on to the next customer. Surprised at the near rudeness from someone normally so civil, Lex moved to his usual table in the corner to ponder his options.

At two minutes to closing, Chloe burst in with a flurry of energy, demanding a triple shot with her extra large mocha latte. Lex gave her an inquiring look, and she drifted over to say hello.

“Isn’t it a bit late for that?” he inquired, nodding at her cup.

“I’m hot on a breaking news story: no rest for the weary ‘til it’s done!”

“Let me guess, somebody attacked a student and somebody, perhaps with the initials CK, stopped them.”

Chloe snorted. “That was last week’s news. And any number of weeks before that too. No, this one is a little different. Seems like our teleporting friend Alicia Baker is free, and Clark is the only one I’ve talked to who’s happy about it.”

“Alicia Baker. Isn’t she the one who stalked him and then tried to kill Lana?”

“That’s her. She showed up just as Clark was leaving for school and told him that she’d been cured. And when I checked out her medical records, they confirmed it. But I figure people have a right to know that she’s free so they can make up their own minds.”

Lex was silent for a moment, eerily reminded of Roger Nixon when Chloe used the “right to know” expression. He knew Chloe would never voluntarily hurt Clark, but she could easily do so by setting off a hidden landmine. Everything in Smallville traced back to Clark sooner or later, and his best defense was the townspeople’s normal blinders to one of their one. If she awoke their fears of the meteor enhanced…

“Chloe, I respect what you’re doing, but please be careful. It would be all too easy to turn this town into a modern Salem witch hunt. If you like, I’d be more than happy to read over what you’ve done and let you know what I think.”

“But, Lex, you’ve suffered through your share of attacks by people with unusual abilities.” Chloe made a quote gesture around the last two words. “How would you feel if one of them returned to Smallville?”

“I’d be worried of course. But I’d also try to trust that the authorities had good reasons for setting them free. As much as we may be tempted to throw away the key, I’m coming to understand that people can change for the better, if you give them a second chance.”

Chloe flashed her brightest smile and whipped out her reporter’s notebook. “Can I quote you on that?”

***

Lex returned to the mansion and tried one last time to contact Clark. Nothing, not even voice mail. Having Clark disappear put his mind on red alert, but he decided to give him time to deal with whatever had come up. He didn’t want to risk triggering someone else’s curiosity by starting a manhunt. Clark could take care of himself. He hoped.

He knew he should try to get some sleep: even his own enhanced biology needed more than the three hours he’d been able to get this last week. But he was too wound up to do so right now. Today had featured some of the most exhilarating moments of his life, but Clark’s absence this evening made it feel like all foreplay and no climax. He poured a glass of scotch, leaned back on his favorite couch and opened up his laptop to review more budget data. That should eventually do the trick.

_He stands at the top of a tall tower, gazing down at a strange city carved into cliffs of ice. The light from a setting red sun reflects off the snow in dazzling bursts of colour. In the sky, the first stars start to twinkle in unfamiliar constellations. Almost directly overhead, a giant half moon now outshines the sun, slowly, so slowly dipping beyond the horizon._

_“Where am I?”_

_“Dreaming,” responds a newly familiar voice, cultured but coldly forbidding. “Your mind is trying to assimilate what it learned today.”_

_Lex turns to face the voice and sees Clark standing before him. No, not Clark – it’s someone older, worn down by pressing cares. “You look like Clark – or are you a figure of my imagination?”_

_“Your science does not have the terminology to describe what I am. You may refer to me as Jor-El, the father of Kal-El. He is the last survivor of a great civilization. I sent him to Earth to save his life. In return, he shall keep Earth safe while your race finds its own way to the stars.”_

_“‘Keep Earth safe?’ What about ‘Rule them with strength?’ What do you really want from Clark?”_

_Jor-El’s face flickers then distorts. The cheekbones and lips are still familiar, but the eyes are colder. “On Krypton, we prided ourselves for keeping the peace in the 28 known galaxies. When we first visited your planet many thousands of your earth-years ago, we tried to help and live amongst you. But your people ever wanted more and schemed to control us through our friends and allies. Worse still were the rogue Kryptonians who became addicted to their power, setting off civil wars on Krypton itself. The Science Council finally ruled that the portals to Earth be closed and its location hidden. Only the House of El was entrusted with the knowledge, to maintain a watchful guard. Many technologically advanced species still cling to war and destruction as ways to expand their influence: they represent a threat beyond Earth’s current ability to handle. We also feared our earlier presence on your planet would make you a special target for our enemies.”_

_“And you are?”_

_“You may refer to me as Kem-El, although that it a vast simplification. My programming is based on a distant relative of Kal-El, updated with each visit to earth by my descendants. Through me, Kal-El has access to over 100,000 years of Kryptonian science and history. But I am not at full power. For this, I require the devices that humans call the Stones of Knowledge. They were entrusted to humans many hundreds of years ago when we withdrew from Earth. If they fall into the hands of an enemy, they send out a beacon to alert the Science Council to send aid. That is another function of mine: to ensure that those who come to help Earth do not abuse their power.”_

_“And what do you define as abuse?”_

_“That which is contrary to the will of the Science Council.”_

_“But the Science Council no longer exists. So how do you decide?”_

_“The Jor-El persona is accepted as the voice of the Council. It was downloaded into me when Kal-El’s ship entered the solar system. But Jor-El’s judgment is compromised on the matter of his son. We have reached, in your expression, a stand off.”_

_As Kem-El speaks, images flicker through Lex’s mind. He sees Krypton at the height of its culture, renowned through the galaxies for its wisdom and dedication to justice. He sees more recent Krypton, still mighty but culturally sterile, thanks in large part to a reliance on genetic manipulation to create “perfect” children. Family and community ties weaken as children are increasingly raised by the State. He sees Krypton racked by civil war, led by renegade warriors eager to restore the glory of a mythical past. He sees the promise of Krypton’s last great science project, the Brain-interactive Construct. He watches as, somewhat reluctantly, Jor-El launches the prototype only to have it perverted by his enemies and turned against him. He sees a star killing device launched towards Rao, Krypton’s sun. He watches as, in a desperate bid for survival, all too few ships lift off, most of which are caught in Rao’s death throes. But the smallest ship survives and heads steadily for its goal, finally reaching safety on Earth amongst a deadly rain of meteorites._

_And out in space, he sees enemies: searching, ever searching; hoping for a signal to guide them to the Last Son._

_“We have to stop them. Is that why you want Clark to collect the stones?”_

_“Correct. The Brain-interactive Construct is relentless and, even with billions of targets to search, it will inevitably find Earth. But the longer that discovery can be put off, the more power Kal-El will have to fight back. And the more allies he will have.”_

_“I wish to be one of those allies.”_

_Kem-El’s face flickers, then settles into the almost regal form of Jor-El. “That would be well. You are marked for greatness, Lex Luthor, but whether your legacy be for good or ill only you can decide. Beware the danger of expedient answers: of sacrificing others for the greater good. If sacrifice be necessary, make sure it is freely offered.”_

_Lex wants to ask more, but a movement behind Jor-El catches his eye. Something lurks in the shadows, darker than black. “Is there someone else here?”_

_The darkness shifts and Lex steps forward to confront it. Red eyes flash in warning. “The stones are not meant for you.”_

_“You’re not even human,” Lex whispers with dread. He turns back to Jor-El. “We have to stop it. Tell me how.”_

_The darkness descends over Jor-El, whose shape distorts and grows larger in the shadow. A voice of cold menace booms out, “Pitiful human, expect no help from the House of El. They are doomed by my final creation. Kal-El shall die alone. Your only hope of survival is to aid us in our conquest.”_

_“No, stop! Clark, help me!” Lex gives one last scream of despair as the darkness descends on him._

_“We’ve got to stop it!”_

***

Lex awoke with a gasp to once again find worried green eyes staring down at him. He shook his head to clear away the nightmare, then sat up with a sigh of annoyance. His muscles ached from tension and his skin felt clammy. “I hate this. I’m not going to be able to function much longer without sleep.” He felt too dizzy to stand and asked Clark, “Would you mind getting me a bottle of water?”

Without a sound, Clark moved to the bar and withdrew two bottles of Ty Nant. He handed one to Lex, then moved to the other couch and started drinking from his own. His face, normally so expressive and open, was entirely closed off. His body language screamed, ‘don’t touch’. The silence stretched.

Lex broke it first. “Clark, I’m sorry I was late getting home last night. My meetings ran late and then my driver got stuck in traffic. I really didn’t mean to let you down.”

Clark gave him a briefly startled look, then looked away again. “There’s no need to apologize Lex. I was waiting for you sure. But then something came up,” Clark trailed off vaguely.

“Something?” Lex prodded.

“Well, someone actually.” Clark flushed. “I don’t know if you remember Alicia, but she came back today. And I was so happy when she told me she’d been cured. I thought, great, all those people who’ve been hurt by that accursed meteor shower can be helped. I won’t have to spend my spare time beating up classmates then wondering what’s going to happen to them next. We talked after school for a while and it looked like everything was going to be OK for once. We had a real good time together.”

Lex wondered for a moment if this was Clark’s way of saying they’d enjoyed making out, before remembering just who he was talking with. Even if Clark was attracted to Alicia, he’d probably wait ‘til the fifth date before giving her as much as a good night kiss. He smiled encouragingly, “And then what?”

“Later, at the loft, I was waiting. I didn’t want to come over here too early. So Alicia shows up and starts to tease me about being alone on a Friday night. But I can see she’s pretty upset. She tells me her doctor threatened to lock her up if she didn’t stop seeing me. She wanted to run away, and asked me to come too. I told her no, Lex. I said no.”

Lex leaned towards Clark, sensing his distress and needing to offer comfort. He reached towards Clark’s shoulder, only to have him twist away. Lex prodded more gently this time, “And then?”

“She said goodbye and that she wanted to give me something to remember her by: a necklace. God, I’m so stupid! But I put it on, and then I felt such a rush. Just like the first time with the class ring. Do you remember that, Lex? When I borrowed your Porsche? It just felt so good.”

Lex nodded and suppressed the urge to ask for more details on the significance of the class ring. He could only assume it acted as a drug of some sort, not so strange in a town where meteorites transformed students into monsters. He could understand why Clark might find it liberating. He’d gone through his own phase of experiments with drugs before accepting that the drawbacks far outweighed the benefits. But for someone to dose Clark was a different matter entirely: he squelched the urge to hire a team to take out Alicia. Time for that later. For now, he needed to focus on Clark.

“Alicia put a stone from one of those rings in the necklace. It didn’t turn me into a monster, at least not right away. But it’s like every thought I think is the best idea ever. There’s nothing to stop me from acting on it. So I was feeling a little restless and there’s a pretty girl who wants me. I’m guessing you know what happened next. And it felt like the best thing ever, to be so completely in the moment.” Lex took it as a side of deep agitation that Clark wasn’t even blushing about a topic he was normally so reticent about discussing.

“Having sex is nothing to be ashamed of Clark, it’s perfectly natural. But I can guess how you’d feel now, knowing you didn’t have control over your actions. Knowing someone you trusted would slip you the equivalent of a date rape drug.”

Clark ducked his head. “Yeah. But it’s also knowing that these impulses have to come from somewhere inside me. Part of me that I hold in everyday. I hate losing control of that.”

Lex reached out again, and this time Clark didn’t shrug off the touch. Instead, he took another sip of water then resumed the story. “But anyways, Alicia asks me to slow down and make it special. I’m thinking of how to get things back on track and then it hits me. Let’s get married! So I propose and she teleports us off to Las Vegas. We get married for 50 bucks at some chapel of love after Alicia empties her bank account. I offered to steal some more, but she said that could wait ‘til after the honeymoon.” Clark’s voice was bitter.

Lex grimaced with sympathy, resisting the urge to defuse the tension with a joke about his somewhat similar experience with Desiree. He nodded for Clark to continue.

“Then we zoom off to a honeymoon suite on the Strip. We start to take off our clothes, and I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun. She was so beautiful, so happy to be Mrs. Clark Kent. And then, we’re finally on the bed and…” Clark gave a pushing motion with his arms, then continued, “She takes off the necklace.”

Lex blinked. “So she didn’t go through with it. That’s something in her favour I guess.” He thought to himself that maybe he wouldn’t need to hire a hit squad after all.

“I know. But she teleported away before I could start thinking straight. I was so angry that someone who claimed to love me could do that to me. And she didn’t even think it was wrong.”

“You have a right to be angry. I’d be calling the police on her right now if I wasn’t worried about them finding out too much about you. But you’ve always been more forgiving than I am.”

Clark laughed harshly. “Mom and Dad seem to think I do too much of that. I went home right away and thought they’d help somehow. Instead, they’re just furious that I ignored their warning to stay away from her in the first place. And Mom seems to think it’s the ultimate betrayal that I asked Alicia to marry me. As if that’s worse than all the things I did that summer in Metropolis.”

Lex resisted again the urge to make a joke, this time about the Kents’ seesaw response to his presence in their lives. He’d never understood Midwestern morality, but their reaction this time struck him as uncharacteristically harsh. “Maybe they’re just reacting to what happened back then, now that it feels safe to do so. Now that they know you won’t run away again.”

Clark sighed, “Maybe. But it made me feel worse than ever. So I came over here, hoping to sleep on the couch. Only to find you there.”

“And having another nightmare. I really need to tell you about it: I figured out a lot about what’s going on. But you know, I think we both need some sleep first. I can barely think straight. How about you take this couch and I’ll take the other?”

Clark nodded: he wanted to argue over who got the comfy couch, but knew Lex would prevail. They switched places and closed their eyes, but sleep proved all too elusive. Clark rolled over and saw Lex was also still awake. He said softly, “I can’t sleep, Lex. I’m worried about Alicia. I hate that she’s got no one to turn to right now. Her psychiatrist really did a number on her.”

“I’ll look into that in the morning, Clark. I’ve got some people who I think can help. And I’m going to see if we can get her doctor disbarred: I don’t want him trying this with anyone else. We might not be as lucky the next time.”

Clark gave a slightly strained but still luminous smile. “Thanks, Lex. I knew I could count on you. Telling you the truth was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

Lex gave him a fond smile in response before settling back down. “I’m glad you feel that way now, Clark. I hope you always will.”

Silence descended once again, soon broken by the sounds of deep and welcoming sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

[](http://pics.livejournal.com/jlvsclrk/pic/0001bt1e/) ****  


**Chapter 3**  
  
Lex woke when the mid morning sun entered the study, feeling completely re-energized. He looked over to see Clark was already awake and flicking quickly through a book. He leaned forward to see the title: _The Name of the Rose_ by Umberto Eco. “Enjoying yourself?”

“I recognized the title from the movie, but it’s not at all what I expected. I never realized the Middle Ages had so much upheaval going on. I feel like the apprentice, Adso. It’s so hard to understand what they’re all killing each other for.”

Lex quoted softly, “‘Fear prophets, Adso, and those prepared to die for the truth, for as a rule they make others die with them, often before them, at times instead of them. … The only truth lies in learning to free ourselves from insane passion for the truth.’”

Clark gave him an amused but admiring glance. “Have you memorized every book in here?”

“Not all of them. But I read that book last summer. Some of the lines really hit home.”

“I think I’ll have to read it again if I want it to make any sense. When I speed read, I get the surface meaning but seem to miss the layers underneath. I’m guessing this book has a lot of layers.”

“Most of the good ones do.” Lex was about to continue when Clark’s stomach growled noisily. He grinned and exclaimed teasingly, “But first, let’s get you something to eat before you expire. We can talk about what happened yesterday over breakfast.”

Clark’s eyes lit up. “Do you think Mrs. Jacobs would mind making her Eggs Benedict? Or maybe that cheese thing from last time. And some of her biscuits maybe? Or would they take too long? I am kind of hungry.”

Lex laughed. “An alien lives amongst us, with the strength of ten men. Able to shoot fire from his eyes. And all he wants from us is a breakfast designed to clog the arteries.”

Clark grinned broadly, showing his fangs. “Hey, don’t knock my eating habits. I need my food: I’m still a growing boy.”

“God help us all.”

***

Lex leaned back as he watched Clark eat, marveling at Clark’s resilience. He’d seemed so shattered after last evening’s events, almost in shock. But the change was amazing when you gave the boy a compassionate ear, a good night’s sleep and plenty to eat. Clark almost seemed to glow in the early afternoon sunlight, and his eyes almost literally sparkled. Those eyes fascinated Lex, sometimes so green, sometimes silver or blue, depending on the light. And then those thrilling glimpses of red: hinting at barely contained power.

But regardless of the colour, what amazed him the most was the shyness in the gaze of this near-god, and the clear admiration in it for him. He’d found himself relying on Clark as a moral crutch in the last year, and realized that in doing so, he’d been pushing his friend away in search of a saviour. He’d despaired of ever being able to live by Clark’s moral code, but now realized he didn’t have to. Clark needed to have strict rules to keep himself from abusing his near limitless power. But now he could see that Clark understood there were grey zones where hard choices needed to be made. Clark and he might disagree vehemently on the right answer, but in a way that was what Clark needed him for. Lex was someone who could stand up to him, advocate the other point of view, yet still be a friend. Together, they could find a better way than each alone.

Clark had been eating on and off for over two hours now, thanks to an overzealous cook determined to prepare all his favorite dishes. In between courses, he’d zoomed home to leave a note for his parents and do his chores. Watching him seem to blink out of existence gave Lex a rush, and made him itch to ask questions. He’d jotted hundreds down while Clark was away: how fast, how strong, how hot – those were just the start. He wondered about Kryptonian development and if Clark’s biological age was truly 17 (‘ _and two thirds_ ,’ he could hear Clark add almost indignantly). Why couldn’t Clark fly when Kal-El had? He had to admit, that one was the comic geek in him coming out. But still, flying had always seemed like the most amazing power ever. Someday he knew he’d convince Clark to fly him over Smallville, the way he’d dreamed so long ago at Loeb Bridge. It would mark another fresh start, one which he resolved not to waste in power struggles with his father.

As Clark ate and Lex nibbled, they talked. Clark told the behind-the-scenes stories of his greatest saves with unexpected relish and humour. Lex tried to explain what he did at LuthorCorp and was pleased to see Clark’s smile at his description of hacking through office politics. Clark talked about red K and girls. Lex talked about alcohol and women. They discussed favorite books and movies. Lex tried to explain the intricacies of fencing while Clark described the decision making behind an option play.

And of course they discussed Lex’s last nightmare and how literally it should be taken. Clark seemed relieved at the idea that the AI had two personalities at odds with each other: that helped explain so much about its treatment of him. He’d thrilled to the description of Krypton even as he grieved at the story of its passing. But was the background figure in the dream something real, or was it a symbol of Lex’s fear of his inner darkness? Was something really searching out in space for them, or was that just fear again? Lex kept a second list of questions that only the AI could answer: if they could trust it.

“I’m afraid that if I’m right and we tell the AI, we’ll just tip off the third personality. Then it’ll just hide deeper. I can’t think of any way to actually fix the problem. An artificial intelligence with a multiple personality disorder is something unknown even to Kryptonian science. I think Jor-El just expected to overwrite the existing persona.”

Clark grunted: he seemed more interested in debating whether to start in on another muffin.

“Clark, are you still listening or has all that food finally caught up to you?”

Clark grinned, “I’m listening, but the answer for the last while has been I don’t know. And don’t worry, I always eat a lot this time of the year. Mom thinks it might have something to do with how short the days are, so my body isn’t getting enough sunlight.”

Lex made another note on his list of questions: it was too early to investigate them and risk triggering Clark’s fears, but it was important to understand everything they could about Clark’s abilities. Clark didn’t mind the list: in fact he joked about how ‘Lexy’ it was.

“If you need more sun, what do you think about joining me for a run to the Talon? I could use the workout and it’s beautiful outside. I’ll take the cell so my team can reach us if they come up with anything about Alicia.”

“Sounds great, Lex. Last one there has to buy the drinks!”

“I’ll bring my wallet.”

***

In the end, it was late evening before Clark beat Lex into The Talon. They’d started out many hours earlier, but turned back when Lex got a call from security that Lionel had unexpectedly turned up at the gate. Lex had been coldly furious at being blindsided by his father’s release, and he called up half the politicians in Kansas trying to figure out what had happened. He wouldn’t have thought anyone had the power to get Lionel acquitted, certainly not without his hearing about it first. All signs pointed to one family: one he’d started investigating earlier because of Lana: the Teagues. They apparently had longstanding ties to the Luthors. Until meeting Jason earlier this year though, he could barely remember the family from various society gatherings. He knew he’d forgotten something: so much of his childhood was a blank.

Clark had waited patiently, enjoying a swim in the indoor pool and watching the NFL Network’s countdown to Super Bowl 39. As much as Clark rooted for the Metropolis Sharks, turns out he was an even bigger fan of Tom Brady and the Patriots. He’d also gone back to the farm to get in a few more chores but told Lex that things with his parents were still decidedly awkward. Lex could only imagine just how much more awkward they’d get when Clark told them he’d shared his secrets with a Luthor.

Realizing he could do no more today, Lex put aside his cell and offered Clark the keys to his newest Mercedes. Clark’s face lit up and he blurred over to the garage to inspect the car: a prototype of the 2006 SL-class roadster. Lex walked over more sedately and grinned to see Clark inspecting the engine. They then spent an hour circling around Smallville as Clark got the feel of the transmission and tried to absorb Lex’s tips on when to shift in anticipation of a curve.

They arrived at The Talon in high spirits to be stiffly greeted by Martha. Lex wanted to shake her for hurting Clark this way, but knew anything he did would just make it worse. He quietly paid for their drinks and rejoined Clark, who was making awkward small talk with Lana. Lex tried to hide his relief when Lana drifted away.

“How’re things with you and Lana? She seemed… tense.”

“I think she’s a bit embarrassed about blaming me for Jason getting fired. And something happened when Lionel and I changed places. I don’t know exactly what, but she’s been pretty upset ever since. And she’s frustrated ‘cause she wants to know more about Isobel and what happened back then: can’t say I blame her.”

Lex grimaced, “She was furious when I tried to warn her that Jason might have some ulterior motives: his mother has been investigating Countess Isobel for decades. I can’t believe it’s a coincidence that he met Lana and she suddenly gets transformed into a witch. I should probably warn you as well. Jason comes from one of the wealthiest families in the Midwest: they have even more political clout than us Luthors. I just found out they’re behind Lionel’s release. I think they may be looking for the Stones too.”

Clark muttered something unprintable under his breath: he clearly wanted to forget about the Stones for a few precious hours at least. Lex led the way to a corner table and changed the topic to something more congenial to his mind: Greek history. Clark knew a lot more than he normally let on so Lex used him to check if his memory had been somehow damaged by his encounter with the AI. Apparently not: they had a fascinating discussion on the Iliad and wondered how badly Hollywood would butcher the story in the upcoming Troy.

So deeply were they involved in the conversation, they didn’t notice Jason enter the Talon and gently kiss Lana. But they did register the sudden tension in the room, and it brought them up short. All eyes seemed to be on Lana and Jason, and there was a quiet buzz of gossip over their romance. The majority of Smallville High students sided with Lana: she was over 18 and it wasn’t as though Jason had ever been her teacher. But many people felt their relationship crossed a line, especially because of Jason’s influence on so many young men. Lana obviously felt the tension and defiantly stood on her tiptoes to give Jason a passionate kiss. Conversation swelled and some of the stares became accusing. Lana flushed and stalked up to her room, followed soberly by Jason.

“Disgusting,” muttered a hatchet-faced senior at Smallville High. “Who would have thought sweet Lana Lang would be such a slut.”

Clark’s lips tightened, and he started to rise to defend Lana’s name. Lex leaned forward and whispered, “Let me handle this.” Clark took a deep breath and remained seated.

Lex rose and spoke to the boy in his most commanding tone of voice, “Excuse me. You don’t know me, but Lana is a friend of mine. I won’t let her be insulted like that. We may not like who she’s dating, but it doesn’t give anyone the right to judge her.”

The boy sneered at Lex. “I know you: who in Smallville doesn’t? Of course, you’d defend her. You’re probably the one who filled her head with delusions of living the big city life. You poison everything you touch.” The boy’s gaze shifted pointedly to Clark.

Clark’s eyes hardened and he stood up to loom over the boy. “Tim, my mother always taught me there’s no excuse for rudeness. I know your father would say the same. I think you’d better leave now.”

Tim gave him a contemptuous look. “And you, welcoming back that Alicia girl. I read Chloe’s latest article on her. Of course you’re happy they let her loose. Who cares who she hurts, as long as you can get a little action.”

Strangely calmed by the personal attack, Clark gave him a steady, appraising look. Tim glanced around the room, hoping for support, but found none. He grimaced and slunk out the door.

Clark sat back down with a sigh. “Sometimes I really hate this place. People can be so quick to judge. I know I do it too at times, but it makes me so uneasy. I sometimes wish we’d moved away. Especially when someone smacks me with a meteor rock.”

“Your dad probably thought it was safer to stay where people trusted the Kent name than start all over again.” Lex prided himself for the charitable comment: privately, he thought Jonathan was simply too pigheaded to have even thought about moving for Clark’s sake.

Closing hour came and they stayed behind: Clark to clean up and Lex to help with the books. Martha started to unbend, and even made a small joke about how the Lana-Jason show had been good for business. A sizeable crowd had stayed late to see when Jason left. Martha had wanted to box the ears of the worst gossipers, but trusted that people would adjust soon enough. They finished up, and Lex wished the Kents good night as they locked the doors behind them.

Lex was almost home when his cell rang. Keeping Clark’s numerous lectures in mind, he pulled over and picked up. “Lex here.”

“Lex, thank goodness you answered. The police just called Mom. Someone tried to break into Lana’s apartment after we left the Talon. I don’t know the details, but Jason is unconscious and Lana has vanished!”

***

Lex didn’t even try to get to sleep that night. Instead, he marshaled his resources to track down Lana, or more accurately the Countess Isobel. Jason had regained consciousness briefly around noon and told the police what he knew. After going up to her apartment, they’d talked for a while. Lana then decided to relax – alone, Jason stressed – by taking a long bath. Jason was reading in another room when he heard a cut-off scream from Lana, followed by a shout. By the time Jason broke through the bathroom door, Lana’s attacker had vanished. Jason helped Lana out of the water and swore her eyes glowed purple when she came to. He suddenly found himself crashing through the window and suffered multiple fractures and a concussion in the fall. With few clues to go on, the police were rather ineffectively investigating who the attacker was and how he or she got in the room. Lex had tried to get Sheriff Adams to look beyond Alicia as the obvious suspect, but had little confidence in her competence. He assigned a LuthorCorp team to independently investigate the leads.

However, identifying Lana’s attacker was not Lex’s primary concern: the Countess Isobel was the one who really worried him. He remembered all too clearly the power of her magic from their encounter a few months earlier. He’d been compelled to keep playing the piano until his fingers bled and his body was near collapse due to exhaustion. He’d since wondered what would have happened if Clark hadn’t dropped by to ask for a favour the next morning. Apparently Isobel’s spell had extended to keeping the staff clear of the library. It was quite possible _only_ Clark could have broken through the enchantment. And, although Clark was reluctant to discuss his own encounter with Isobel, Jason had once told him of finding Clark tied up and bleeding in the loft in the aftermath. Isobel had certainly shown herself to be ruthless in her pursuit of the power stored in the Stones of Knowledge.

The good news was that Isobel’s power should be considerably weakened without her spell book, destroyed by Clark in their battle. The bad news was that would probably make her even more desperate to acquire one of the Stones. Clark had risked a trip to the cave for some answers, but Jor-El and Kem-El were stubbornly silent – another standoff perhaps in how they thought Clark should proceed. Lex then suggested Clark work with Chloe to see what they could find, hoping they could come up with some clues on what Isobel was after and how to stop her. He didn’t underestimate the pair’s investigative skills when it came to the weird and unexplained.

Lex paced around the study, frustrated that despite all his resources, he had yet to come up with any solid leads. To add to his bad mood, Lionel had reappeared, claiming to be a reformed man. Lex supposed that swapping bodies with Clark for a few days might be tantamount to a religious experience, but doubted the effect would last long. However, since Lionel had been researching the Stones for several years at least, maybe for once he could actually help.

“Dad, if you’ve really changed, prove it to me now by sharing some of your secrets. Have you ever heard of Countess Isobel Thoreau?”

Lionel gave a short bark of laughter. “Still pursuing ancient fairytales, Lex? I’ve moved those obsessions into my past; I suggest you do the same.”

“We both know fairytales have a strange way of coming true in Smallville. I’m asking you again, what do you know about the Countess?”

“If you know enough to ask the question, you probably know she was burned at the stake as a witch four centuries ago.” Lex nodded impatiently and Lionel continued, “What you may not know is that Isobel’s daughter is the ancestor of Lana Lang. And Jason Teague traces back to a woman named Gertrude through his mother Genevieve. Gertrude was Isobel’s sister and responsible for her death. The Countess left behind disciples who claimed she would live on through her female heirs. For many generations, Gertrude’s descendants watched Isobel’s descendants, fearing she would return as prophesied. But for all their watching, they saw no signs that the legend was true. Gradually the two sides of the family lost track of each other.”

“Genevieve came to me a few days ago wanting me to break up Jason and Lana. But I found evidence that she set up their meeting in Paris in the first place. Do you know anything about that?”

“I first met Genevieve two decades ago when her husband and I got involved in… a project. She was bored and started investigating her family’s past. She became obsessed by the two sisters, and would often tell us stories over dinner. That’s where I first learned of the Stones of Knowledge. Over a thousand years ago, Gertrude’s family was entrusted with protecting one of them. Given the various wars throughout the Middle Ages, one intrepid member traveled to the Far East to keep the Stone safe from marauders. He concealed it, but was killed before he could tell the family where. For generations, the family kept searching and finally obtained what they believed to be a map. What happened next depends on who you listen to. Both Isobel and Gertrude claimed to be interested in protecting the Stone for its rightful owner. And they both claimed the other stole the map for nefarious purposes. Gertrude was lucky enough to have married the more powerful man and her story was believed. Isobel burned and the map stayed hidden. Maybe Genevieve decided getting Lana and Jason together would shake some things loose.”

“What would you say if I told you Lana was showing signs of being possessed by Isobel? Do you know how we can stop her?”

Lionel shrugged. “I didn’t listen all that closely back then. I only became interested when I first saw the Kawatche Cave and realized the symbols were similar to those on drawings Genevieve had shown me of “her” Stone. To a witch, the three Stones represent a source of near limitless power, but also somehow mark their weakness. I was more interested in the library of knowledge the Stones were supposed to contain. I hoped for a cure to my disease and somehow was granted one. I know you don’t believe me son, but I have changed. You have a right to be angry with me for what I did last year, but I hope I can earn your forgiveness.”

Lex gave him a measuring look. “I don’t know about that. You conspired with my wife, tried to drive me insane, then tried to kill me with poison. You killed your parents, made mom’s life a misery and who knows how many other lives you’ve ruined. And somehow, you were freed after serving less than a year of a life sentence. I want to believe people can change, but I’d be a fool to turn my back on you.”

Lionel nodded. “I wouldn’t expect anything else from the son I’ve raised.”

Lex gave a deep breath then replied, “I don’t want you around Smallville, Dad. Or Metropolis for that matter. I think you’re going to be tempted to seize back control of LuthorCorp, or try to teach me some more arcane lessons for my own good.” Lex’s voice was bitter. “If you want to help, I need a competent director for the London office. You’d be a member of the senior executive group, but you wouldn’t have access to any of the top secret projects.”

“And I wouldn’t have the same access to my political and military contacts either. Good tactics, Lex. I’m proud of you, Son.”

Lex grimaced. Those words once might have meant so much, but now just felt like attempts to manipulate him. He’d made the offer knowing that keeping Lionel busy was the safest way to keep him out of mischief. And for Clark’s sake, he wanted Lionel as far away as possible.

“Good-bye, Dad. You know I’ll be keeping an eye on you. But I do wish you well.”

***

As the hours passed, Lex’s fatigue grew, only to recede somewhat with Clark’s periodic updates. Even with Chloe’s help, Clark had found no sign on Lana / Isobel, nor any further hint on how to stop her. They had, however, dug up stories regarding several mysterious home invasions over the last few months, none of which had been reported to the police. Like the Mahoney Gang break-ins of three years ago, there was no sign of forced entry, but unlike them, robbery was not the motive. Instead, somebody seemed to have appointed themselves as the Smallville High morality police. One girl had told of finding a threatening note on her bed after rumours spread that she had slept with several boys during a party. A teacher received a threat after holding a rousing debate on evolution in which she made some comments about religion that some found disparaging. And a boy had found his bedroom destroyed after coming out and trying to organize a gay and lesbian club. The threats had become more violent over time, and Chloe was convinced the same person was behind the attack on Lana. That ruled out Alicia since she’d been under sedation at Belle Reve. Lex was grateful for Clark’s sake, even though it gave them one more figure to track down. He suggested Clark call it a day and get some rest to recharge his batteries. Somewhat reluctantly, Clark agreed.

Lex had now been up for over 36 hours and could no longer keep his eyes open for more than a few seconds at a time. He couldn’t sleep either, keyed up with worry about Isobel and the continued exhilaration of knowing Clark’s secret. Between phone calls, he would slump on the couch and try deep breathing exercises to relax himself. For maybe 10 minutes at a time, he would rest, then wake with a start to move onto the next item on his list. He missed Clark and imagined him whooshing into the room to watch over him. The thought made him feel safe.

It was eerily quiet for a man raised in the nonstop hustle of Metropolis. Normally there were enough people working in the mansion to create a constant low level buzz, but Lex had reassigned all but a few to the search for Isobel. In the near silence, Lex could hear the windows rattle with the wind. Outside, he could hear a security car doing its perimeter sweep. Inside, the floorboards creaked in response to the winter cold.

His eyes were drifting shut when a rustling sound disturbed the calm. He sat up and instinctively reached for his telephone, only to have it shift out of reach. Lex blinked, certain he must be dreaming. In the middle of his den, a small sandstorm seemed to be forming. Warily, Lex started to walk to his desk to trigger the silent alarm. The sandstorm shifted to block his path.

“Who are you?” The sand swirled in front of him, then started to rotate around him. Lex persisted, “Let me guess. You’re the one that attacked Lana at the Talon last night. What did she ever do to you?”

A portion of the sand solidified into a face, which grated out, “She’s a student dating a football coach – that’s just not right. I’m sick of watching people like her walk around town spreading their vice. She got what she deserved.”

“I recognize you: Tim, right? We met at the Talon.”

“And you’re Lex Luthor, infamous for your Lex girls, diamond earrings and fancy cars. Not to mention the rumours you pay so much to keep out of print. It makes me sick to see you with someone like Clark Kent, bringing him down to your level. Have you heard what people say about you two?”

“Just leave Clark out of this.” Lex tried to move through the sand but the wind bit into his face. “What are you planning to do next? Clean up the town by getting rid of everyone who doesn’t fit into your standards?”

“Sounds like a great plan, Lex. And I think I’ll start right here.”

The face dissolved and the wind intensified to gale force. Lex tried to take a breath to scream for help, but inhaled only sand. The only thing he could see was a blur of brown and black. The wind howled, so loud his ears started to ache. He fell to his knees, trying to protect his face from the scouring sand. His vision started to grow grey around the edges.

Then, a flash of green in the midst of the storm. Lex looked up in astonishment as a girl materialized before him. She bit her lip, then grabbed his shoulder and yelled, “Hold on!”

Another flash of green and Lex found himself standing in Clark’s loft. He coughed repeatedly to clear the sand from his lungs. His whole body ached from the attack and the ringing in his ears made it difficult to balance. He collapsed gratefully on the couch and looked up at the girl. “Alicia, I presume,” he rasped out.

She nodded jerkily. Alicia was a stunningly beautiful girl, but even her brief exposure to Tim’s whirlwind had left her physically disheveled and mentally unsettled. “I don’t know what Clark told you about me, but I’ve been watching over him since… what happened. I heard him talking to you on the phone about what happened to Lana. So I thought he wouldn’t mind if I watched out for you too.”

“Normally I’d object, but it seems I owe you my life. I guess even Clark needs to sleep once in a while.”

Alicia smiled briefly, her whole face softening with longing. “He looked so peaceful the last time I checked in on him. I was about to go to bed too: it’s awfully late. But luckily I did one last jump. I knew if something happened to you, I’d never get another chance to make it up to Clark. I didn’t mean for things to go as far as they did. Please don’t send me there.”

“You’ve heard about LuthorCorp’s… containment facility?”

“They were going to send me away from Belle Reve but Dr. McBride convinced them he could help me. He made this bracelet with lead that stopped my ability. He said I was better.” Alicia’s eyes frantically sought reassurance from Lex.

Lex sighed. “I’ve arranged for McBride to be disbarred and the Metropolis police are investigating his practice – you’re not the first patient he’s threatened. But Alicia, I think you need help. I understand the temptation to watch over Clark, believe me I do, but it just isn’t healthy.”

Alicia turned away to hide the tears. “Are you saying I can never see him again?”

Lex replied gently, “That’s his decision to make, not ours. But right now, I think you need to stay away. I know an excellent psychiatrist, Dr. Hunt. She works for me and has lots of experience with the meteor infected. I promise we won’t try to lock you away, as long as you keep seeing her.”

A soft tenor spoke from the stairs, “I think that’s a good deal, Alicia. I’d take it if I was you.”

Alicia squealed with joy and ran into Clark’s arms. “Do you trust him, Clark?”

He gave her a comforting hug while smiling luminously at Lex. “With my life, Alicia. With my life.”


	4. Chapter 4

[](http://pics.livejournal.com/jlvsclrk/pic/0001bt1e/)  
The following day passed slowly, but productively for Lex. He snatched a few hours of dreamless sleep in the loft, feeling safe with Clark only a few feet away in the hammock. Clark woke them early and zoomed him to the mansion, then left for farm chores and school. Lex decided to work from home: teleconferencing wasn’t a perfect substitute for meeting people in the flesh, but it was an enormous timesaver. In between calls, he evaluated yet more research proposals and considered potential acquisition targets. The problem at LuthorCorp was never coming up with ideas: it was picking between them.

It was early evening before Lex received the call from the security gate he’d been looking forward to all day: Clark was here. He shut off his computer and gazed impatiently at the library doors. Why was Clark moving so slowly? Finally, Clark entered with his now normal flourish and came close to shouting, “Lex!”

“Right here, Clark. Everything okay at home, now?”

Clark made a strange grimace and replied, “Not exactly. I decided that if they were going to be all angry about Alicia, I might as well tell them you knew the secret. Try to get it all over with at once. They didn’t take it well.”

“Why am I not surprised? Should I be expecting a visit from Jonathan and his shotgun?”

“I’ll be honest, Lex. If Dad thought it would do some good, he probably would threaten you. Frankly, he’s probably hoping a building collapses on you or something wipes out your memory for good this time. But I think I made him understand that in your case, not knowing the truth made us all less safe. And I told them what you learned about the caves and Krypton. I think he appreciates you might be the best person to help me with all that.”

“And your Mom?”

“She’s still more upset about Alicia: she’s arranging an annulment since I’m underage. She says at least you’ve shown yourself to be a friend, even if they can’t approve of everything you’ve done.”

“Good to know.” Lex paused and then resumed in a teasing voice, “So did you tell them about the kiss?”

Clark flushed slightly and ducked his head. “No, I thought it was too soon to talk to them about it when we hadn’t had a chance to talk it over ourselves.”

“So there’s something to talk about? You feel something too?”

Clark shuffled uneasily but admitted, “Something. I’m not sure what though. If it’s just curiosity or something more. It’s not like it was with Lana – that always left me kind of breathless and confused. You make me feel sharper somehow. Stronger, even when I let my guard down. I don’t need to be totally in control around you.”

Lex smiled. Perhaps that was part of the attraction for both of them: finding someone who was strong enough to share their burdens. “Good to know. And just so you know, I don’t want anything to happen until after you’re 18. If we’re right for each other, I want it to last. And we’ll probably be under the public microscope every step of the way. I don’t want there to be any hint of scandal surrounding our sex life together.”

Clark, of course, blushed at the last, clearly not having gotten so far in his head. Lex made a mental note to investigate the Kryptonian sex drive extensively with the AI. Clark looked human enough, but was bound to have some profound differences lurking beneath the perfect skin. Lex thought it lucky that Clark was attracted to human beings at all. It struck him as a near miracle for Clark to find _him_ desirable. Maybe it was fate.

Lex tossed Clark a pool cue and challenged him to best out of seven. They were evenly matched: Lex because of his understanding of strategy and Clark with his talent for shot making, probably because his mind subconsciously calculated the angles more accurately than all but the best super computer. Clark admitted he’d always been exceptionally good at math, yet another ability the Kents had counseled him to hide. That’s why Clark preferred writing: it was something he had to work hard at and could take pride in.

Lex was surreptitiously admiring the sight of Clark lining up a shot when a commotion broke out down the hall. Clark stood up and squinted oddly. “Trouble,” he declared tersely. “I can’t make it out. Wait. Look out!” Clark shouted at something only he could see and turned to Lex with an ashen face. “They’re hurt. Your perimeter security. Something just tore through them like they weren’t there.”

“Damn.” Lex dropped the pool cue and started to move towards the hidden revolver in the study, but the doors to the game room burst open before he could get far. Countess Isobel posed in the entrance for dramatic effect, her raven hair swirling in the whirlwind created by Tim at her side.

Clark stepped in front of Lex, protective as ever. “Stop. I won’t let you hurt Lex. He’s done nothing wrong.”

Isobel gave him a pitying glance. “He is not the one I seek. I came for you, farm boy. You are the key to what I need.” She raised her hand and a beam of purple light burst towards Clark, too fast for even him to dodge. It knocked him back into Lex, who crumpled to the floor from the impact.

“Hey,” protested Tim. “Leave him alone. You promised – Lex is mine.”

Isobel shot him an annoyed glance. “Little man, do not presume to tell me what to do. I agreed to let you live in exchange for your help in attacking this fortress. And I owe you a debt for liberating me from my host. But do not stretch my patience.”

Tim gave her a wary look then shifted into sand. He started to swirl towards Lex, while Isobel stalked towards Clark. She raised her hand and discharged another burst of purple light. This time Clark was more prepared and only took a glancing blow.

“Isobel, stop. I don’t want to hurt you.”

 “I know, sorcerer. The women of my family have long been enchanted to protect them from your kind.” Isobel smiled in twisted glee. “But I look forward to hurting you. The stone you have stolen will not respond to me unless you speak your consent. Last time, you did so with a kiss. This time…”

Isobel made a motion with her hands and two of Lex’s fencing swords flew into her reach. She spoke a spell, then threw one of the swords towards Clark. He staggered backwards, shocked when it pierced his skin. He stared numbly at Isobel, then pulled the sword out of his shoulder. He raised it to his best approximation of the _en garde_ position as Isobel raised her own sword and attacked with a flurry of blows. Clark’s limbs were soon covered in a series of cuts. His reaction time became slower and slower with each one.

Meanwhile, Lex staggered to his feet and tried to back away from the sandstorm created by Tim. He made a little headway each time Tim paused to taunt him, only to pay with a punishing sandblasting when Tim sped up again. Although he tried to protect his face, the constant pounding of the sand particles tore at his clothes and scoured away the top layer of skin. Before long, deeper welts started to open, each stinging like he'd been lashed. But finally Lex reached his destination and reached behind him. He shouted, “Clark! Switch!”

Clark gave him a startled look, then did a quick turn away from Isobel. Lex shifted smoothly into his place and raised the epée from the wall behind him for attack. He probably wouldn’t be able to stop Isobel for long, but he trusted Clark would make the most of the opportunity.

Tim had paused for a second, startled by the change of targets. Clark hit him hard, sending him flying into the far wall. Plaster rained down on Tim’s head, and he stared angrily at Clark. “Why are you helping him? I’ve heard your father talk about the Luthors: I thought you’d understand. They’re ruining this town.”

Tim then shifted into sand and formed a whirlwind around Clark, cutting off his air supply. Clark started to choke and in desperation, his eyes glowed red as he switched to his most dangerous weapon, heat vision. Tim screamed as the heat fused together the sand grains, causing him to solidify. Clark stared at him in grim satisfaction and declared, “Lex isn’t his father. He’s my friend, and I’m proud of that.” He then tapped Tim on the head, knocking him out.

“Clark!” came a shout from the far side of the room. Lex was in trouble, although he’d managed to get in a few hits on Isobel. He was trying to keep her out of breath to prevent her from uttering another spell, but the constant attack required to do so was taking its toll. But he still had time to pass on one last revelation to Clark. “The tattoo, Clark! The stone marked Isobel with her weakness!”

Clark’s eyes widened as he looked at the stylized LL tattoo on Isobel’s back. He then leapt across the room towards her, taking one last cut from her sword in the process. With one hand over her mouth, he swept her up: his powers were somehow muted by the contact but he ignored the pain. He ran through the door to the adjacent gym room, then crashed through the glass wall separating off the pool. He then took a deep breath and leapt into the deep end. The water closed over his head, and Isobel struggled frantically in his arms, dragging him further down. Lungs burning, he finally seized control and pulled them back up to the surface. Breathing hard, he watched as the purple glint in her eyes dimmed.

Lex had run after them and now knelt down at the pool’s side with a concerned look for Clark, then turned to Isobel. “You wanted Clark to reveal his secret, but I think you now know. He’s no simple farm boy, nor a sorcerer.” Lex sketched a symbol in the air resembling an S inside a shield. “He is Kal-El, rightful heir to the House of El, owner of the Stones of Knowledge. Your family swore to protect them in the event of his coming. Do you stand by that vow?”

Isobel clung to Clark for support, out of her element and powerless in the water. “It has been so long. My family gave up hope and thought to use our Stone for their own advantage. I tried to stop them, and they killed me. A spell kept my spirit alive, awaiting my opportunity, but every moment of my existence I remember the heat of the flames. Do I not deserve vengeance?”

Lex quoted, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.”

Clark shot him a look, disturbed by biblical references under the circumstances, then spoke to Isobel. “It’s not right to punish the living for the sins of their ancestors. If you really meant to protect the Stones, then trust me. Find peace and release my friend. Lana deserves her chance to make a mark of her own.”

Isobel sighed, drained by the long centuries held captive to a spell. “And yet, my sworn task is not complete. The Stones are not yet united. Only one of them is safely in your care.”

Clark replied, “Lex and I are working on that, I swear. And Lana is a worthy heir of yours – I’m sure she’ll help us in any way she can.”

Lex smiled at a sudden thought. “And there’s one thing you can do for us that no one else can. I’m worried that the place where the Stones are to be united has been infiltrated: if so, they may not be safe from our enemies. Can you prevent this?”

Isobel tossed her head and gave him a disdainful look. “My abilities far surpass your understanding, foolish boy. The ability to protect a home against a thief or a spy is a simple task for one who has mastered the veil of death.”

Lex continued to smile. “Good. So one last spell and then Clark will release you from your vow to the House of El. Deal?”

Isobel looked at Clark, who added anxiously, “And Lana is free too, right? You’ll leave her alone?”

Isobel nodded slowly. “If you release me from my vow, Kal-El, I will find my peace guarding the Stones. I will no longer be capable of taking physical form.”

At this, Clark sighed with relief and shook her hand. He then made to get out of the water but Lex waved at him to stay put. “Wait. Before we let Isobel out, I’m going to fetch a few buckets of water just in case. I believe Isobel will stand by her vow but… ‘Trust but verify’ as they say.”

Isobel gave his a solemn look. “You start to grow wise. Perhaps time will prove you a worthy companion to Kal-El.”

“He already is,” said Clark loyally. “And call me Clark,” he added with a dazzling grin. He then playfully shook his head, spraying water around the room. His eyes glinted blue-green with happiness.

Lex smiled back, his eyes shining blue-grey with delight. “We make a good team, Clark. Yeats said it well: ‘Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, And say my glory was I had such friends.’”

Maybe Lex imagined that Clark’s eyes flickered red in response.

***

Many hours would pass before Lex could rest that night. Since Clark’s powers didn’t function well around Isobel, they decided to split up. While Clark remained at the mansion to destroy the security footage and call in the police, Lex drove with Isobel to the caves. She cast her spell and the “LL” tattoo on her back faded while the corresponding symbol on the cave wall glowed purple. The purple light then vanished from Isobel’s eyes, and her body crumpled to the floor. After checking her pulse, Lex called the police saying he’d found Lana based on a tip from Tim during the fight. The overtaxed ambulance service took nearly an hour to arrive and transported her to Smallville Medical, where she was placed in the same room as Jason due to a shortage of beds.

He then spent hours dealing with Sheriff Adams, not to mention the press that descended on the mansion when they heard about the home invasion. He acutely felt the need to replace his injured security force, many of whom would take months to heal. He had to find people who were good enough to control access and handle the ordinary attacks, but sufficiently unobservant when it came to Clark’s powers. He’d also need to revamp home surveillance completely because of the risk of exposing Clark. Maybe he should just get rid of it all and say he was afraid of corporate espionage since he worked so much at home. His staff, well aware of his power struggle with Lionel, would certainly believe that.

Martha came over and fussed over Clark’s injuries, slow to heal because of his vulnerability to magic. She also applied first aid to Lex’s own wounds from Tim’s sandblasting, equivalent in many places to second degree burns. She listened carefully to how Lex deftly handled the press, trying to minimize the roles of Clark and Lana to maintain their privacy. Lex misdirected them by sharing selective parts of the truth, a talent that she admitted to him would be useful in the years to come with Clark. She then prepared to take Clark home, but first he asked for a few moments alone with Lex.

They retreated to the panic room and, before Lex could get a word out, Clark grabbed him and pulled him forward for a kiss. It wasn’t a gentle kiss, no hint of tenderness or shyness. Instead, Clark’s mouth was firm and demanding against his. Lex moaned as Clark sucked at his upper lip and then started to nibble. Lex raised his hands and started to trace the contours of Clark’s face, seeking the pleasure points: the shell of his ear, the hollow of his throat. Clark’s eyes flickered shut, and he opened his mouth to let his tongue come into play. Lex responded in kind and started to suck on Clark’s tongue. Clark leaned in closer. With a jolt of satisfaction, Lex felt Clark’s erection press against his thigh. He shifted slightly to align their cocks, and both gave a groan of pleasure.

Panting slightly, Lex pulled back and admired Clark’s flushed skin and reddened lips. He noticed that even as Clark rubbed his lower body against Lex, his arms were awkwardly held away from his sides. Those big hands were rhythmically clenching and unclenching. Lex longed to feel them against him, but assumed Clark was afraid of being able to control his strength. That thought was both thrilling and sobering to Lex, who finally summoned the will to step backwards.

“Hey, what happened to not being sure of what you felt?”

The look Clark shot him reminded Lex of that day when Clark was first exposed to red kryptonite: pure sex. He nuzzled Lex’s neck and mumbled, “I’m slow, but I’m not stupid, Lex. I realized how much I need you when I was floating in the water and heard you talking Isobel onto our side.”

“And the fact you need me makes you want me? That’s a bit backwards by earth standards.”

“Alien, you know. And then I heard you dealing with the press, and it just hit me. A bit awkward with Mom there.”

Lex swore, “Damn, not to mention half the police force and press corps of Metropolis. Clark, we have to leave this room now or there’ll be a scandal to end all scandals.”

Clark smiled, showing his fangs. “Exactly. We leave now and the press will drive themselves crazy looking for proof of something that never happened. And anytime they think they notice something fishy about us, they’ll think it has something to do with our no doubt torrid and illicit sex life.”

Lex looked at him with a combination of shock and admiration. “You’ll be pigeonholed: the first and only Lex Boy. Don’t you mind?”

Clark gave one last nuzzle, then pulled away and adjusted his pants. “Just as long as you never try to give me a diamond earring. Let the tabloids write what they want: the people I care about will know the truth.”

***

After the Kents left, the police started herding the press away, then gradually thinned out themselves. Lex sent a series of emails to reschedule all his appointments for the next day: under the circumstances, a sick day seemed well warranted. His skin ached in the portions where it had been sandblasted, so Lex dropped in at Smallville Medical for more care and pain killers. He checked in on Lana who was still unconscious, but stable. He crossed paths with Sheriff Adams again, who assured him that her people would be guarding the mansion and then personally drove him back home. Finally, he reached his bedroom and gratefully lay down to sleep.

_White, bright light surrounds him. He floats effortlessly above the clouds, then dives down to survey the city below. With pride, he sees the new LexCorp Tower under construction, a glittering monument to the largest company in North America, and the best employer as rated by Forbes. Not far away, he sees the edge of an enormous park dedicated to the natural ecosystem of Kansas. He turns to the man flying at his side, the one who literally makes him float with a touch of the hand. He nods toward the park. “Good idea that.”_

_The man smiles. “Dad would hate so much good farmland going to waste. But it’s valuable habitat for endangered species, not to mention a good place for a knock down battle.”_

_“Speaking of which…” Lex nods towards an odd looking craft flying towards them, bristling with what Lex’s practiced eye knew to be weapons. “It’s probably not even human.”_

_“Hmmm,” the man murmurs, squinting into the distance. “Makes it easier.” In most fights, the man has to hold back all but the tiniest fraction of his strength. He sometimes looks forward to the opportunity for a good brawl with the galaxy’s strongest villains._

_The man cups his hands around Lex’s neck and squeezes gently. Lex shudders with pleasure at the alien gesture, one that marks him subtly as the man’s mate. He then reaches down to activate the device on his wrist stamped with the symbol of an S inside a shield. He now can fly under his own power, though no longer shielded by the man’s protective aura._

_“Do you know how to stop it?”_

_The man smiles at him fondly. “You know my routine. Wait and see if it’s hostile. Warn it. Hit it soft, then harder, then harder still. Use the heat vision if all else fails. Anything trickier is where you come in.”_

_“The never ending battle – round 802. Do you ever get tired of it?”_

_The man leans forward and brushes his lips. “Not with you at my side. ‘Love comforteth like sunshine after rain.’”_

_“Sap,” Lex teases, secretly pleased the man read through his latest gift, a copy of Shakespeare’s completed works. He quotes in return:_

_“Haply I think on thee, - and then my state,_

_Like to the lark at break of day arising_

_From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate;_

_For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings_

_That then I scorn to change my state with kings.”_

For the first time in years, Lex smiled in his sleep and dreamt of a brighter future.


End file.
